Go-cart or perambulator.



A. J. ADAMS.

GO-GART 0R PERAMBULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1912.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

jzvenjrt' dTiaTEd PATENT UFFTMEL ARTHUR J. ADAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 WILLIAM S. FERBIS, OF ELKIIART, INDIANA, AND ALEXANDER B. LEI'IH, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, TRUSTEES.

GO-CART OR PEEAMBULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1d, 1914.

Original application filed March 2, 1910, Serial No. 546,927. Divided and this application filed September T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Go-Carts or Perambulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to folding perambulators, go-carts, or baby carriages; and my primary object is to provide improved means for suspending a seat in such a folding structure, associated with improved means for flexing the seat-suspending means inwardly in the operation of folding the structure, to provide for neater and more compact folding.

The present application constitutes a division of my application 546,927, filed March 2,1910.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevational View of a baby carriage constructed in accordance with my invention, one of the flexible side-pieces flanking the seat being shown brokenly to illustrate the manner of suspending the seat; Fig. 2, a broken section taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1 and showing a detail of means for automatically folding the flexible side pieces, which depend from the carriage arms and support the seat; and Fig. 3, a broken section taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2.

The structure illustrated in the drawing as containing one embodiment of my inven tion comprises a running-gear frame A; pairs of wheels B supporting the running-gear frame and adapted to fold inwardly beneath the same; a handle 0 whose side-members are pivotally connected at their lower ends with the rear ends of the side-members of the running-gear frame, so that the handle is adapted to fold forwardly upon therunning gear frame; arms D connected by pivots 1 with the side members of the handle C; links E whose upper ends are connected,

by pivots 2, with the front ends of the arms D, and whose lower ends are connected, by pivots 8, with members 4 which are rigidly carried by the running gear frame; a seat F suspended by flexible side-pieces F from Serial No. 723,162.

the arms I), a back Gr oined at its lower end by a flexible connection 5 to the rear portion of the seat, so that the back is adapted to fold forward on the seat; and devices H adapted to flex the side-pieces F inwardly along medial longitudinal lines, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The structure illustrated is provided with a locking device I which need not be described in detail, but which is adapted to lock the superstructure in the position shown in Fig. 1; and is also provided with a foot-support or boot J which forms no part of the present invention and need not be described in detail.

The general type of folding go-cart herein illustrated is now well known in the art. In folding the structure, the pairs of wheels are swung inwardly and upwardly beneath the running gear frame; and the handle swings forwardly or folds upon the running gear frame, in which operation the links E swing forwardly about the pivots 3.

A device 6 is employed for adjusting the back to either the standing or reclining position. Such device forms no part of the present invention, and need not be described in detail.

The flexible side-pieces F which support the seat F are suspended from rods 7 carried by and extending parallel with the arms D. The upper edge of each side-piece F is formed with a welt or loop 8, which engages the rod 7. As best shown in Fig. 2, it is preferred to make the flexible sidepiece F of fabric, leather, or the like, which is folded upon itself to form two plies, the folding of the material affording the loop 8, and the lower edges of the plies constituting the lower edges of the flap, or side-piece. Between the plies and some distance above the lower edges thereof is secured a welt, or loop, 9, through which extends web 10 of a U-shaped rod, or member, having downturned arms 11 provided with inturned eyes 12. Through the eyes 12 extend the upturned arms 13 of a U-shaped rod, or member, whose web 14: engages a welt, or loop, 15, provided at the lateral edge of the seat F. The upper portions of the arms 13 are equipped with collars or studs 16, between which and the eyes 12 are confined springs 17. Thus, it will be understood that the seat is spring-supported from the lower portions of the flexible side-pieces F. The means H for automatically folding said sidepiecesF comprise, at each side of the carriage, a link 18 whose front end is joined by a pivot 19 to the upper portion of an arm-supporting link E, and whose rear end is tapered to afford a cam, or wedge, 20; a guide 21 depending from the arm D and provided with a slot 22 through which the wedge portion 20 of the link 18 extends; and a link, or arm, 23, the upper end of which is connected by a pivot 2 1 with theguide 21 above the inner end of the slot 22, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the bar, or link, 23, being equipped with a head or which is located in a pocket 25 with which the outer surface of the side-piece F is equipped. The arrangement and disposition of parts are such that when the superstructure of the carriage is folded, the cam, or wedge, 20, will engage the link 23 beneath its pivot and force the lower end of the link inwardly, thereby flexing the side-piece F in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. This action occurs at each side of the carriage in the folding operation.

The guide 21 may be connected with the arm D in any suitable manner. As shown, it forms part of a clip 26, which serves as a means for attaching a carriage-top or canopy (not shown).

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the seat is spring-supported by springs carried by the flexible side-pieces, and that the flexible side-pieces are automatically folded inwardly along their medial lines in the operation of folding the superstructure. This latter action occurs by reason of the fact that as the angle between the arm D and link E is decreased in the folding operation, the guide 21 is carried forward, causing the wedge 20 to protrude farther through the slot 22, so that the thick portion of the wedge operates on the link or bar 23 to cause the lower end thereof to swing inwardly. In the unfolding operation the wedge is withdrawn,and the parts are allowed to assume their normal position.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no undue limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

hat I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a running-gear frame, a handle pivotally connected with the rear end portion of said frame and adapted to fold forwardly thereon, links foldably connected with the handle and running-gear frame, one pair of said links affording arms the combination of a running-gear frame,-

a handle pivotally connected with the rear end portion of said frame and adapted to fold forwardly thereon, links foldably connecting the handle and running-gear frame,

one pair of said links affording arms for thestructure, flexible side-pieces connected with said arms, a seat between the lower portions of said side-pieces, a pair of levers carried by said arms and adapted to fold said sidepieces inwardly and a pair of cam-links connected with the links joined to the front portions of said arms and serving to actuate said levers in the operation of collapsing the superstructure.

8. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a running-gear frame, a handle pivotally connected with the rear portion thereof and adapted tofold forwardly thereon, arms pivotally connected with said handle, links pivotally connected with the front ends of said arms and with the running-gear frame, flexible side-pieces depending from said arms, a seat interposed between the lower portions of said sidepieces, and means for folding said sidepieces comprising members carried by said arms and engaging the side-pieces and members connected with the upper portions of said links and serving to actuate said other members. V

4. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a running-gear frame, a handle pivotally connected with the rear portion thereof and adapted to fold forwardly thereon, arms pivotally connected with said handle, links pivotally connected with the front ends of said arms and with the running-gear frame, flexible side-pieces depending from said arms, a seat interposed between the lower portions of said side-pieces, and means for folding said sidepieces comprising depending links pivotally supported by said arms and engaging said side-pieces, guides carried by said arms adj acent the upper ends of said last-named links, and links pivotally connected with said first-named links and having wedge portions extending through said guides and engaging said second-named links.

5. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a running-gear frame, a handle pivotally connected with the rear end thereof and adapted to fold forwardly thereon, arms foldably connected with said handle and running-gear frame, flexible sidepieces depending from said arms, a seat connected with the lower edge portions of said side-pieces, a back foldzvbly connected with said arms and connected with the rear portion of said seat, links connecting the front portions of said arms with the running-gear frame, and means for automatically folding said side-pieces having actuating members connected with the upper portions of said links.

6. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a running-gear frame, a handle pivotally connected with the rear portion thereof and adapted to fold forwardly thereon, arms foldably connected with said handle and running-gear frame, flexible side-pieces depending from said arms, spring-supports carried by the lower portions of said sidepieces, springs carried thereby, a seat interposed between the lower port-ions of said side-pieces, and members attached to the lateral edge portions of said seat and carried by said springs.

7. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a running-gear frame, a handle connected with the rear portion thereof and adapted to fold forwardly on said frame, arms foldably connected with said handle and the running-gear frame, flexible side-pieces depending from said arms, U-shaped spring-supports secured to said side-pieces above the lower edges thereof, springs supported by the arms of said spring-supports, U-shaped members having arms supported by said springs, and a seat attached at its lateral edges to said lastnamed U-shaped members.

ARTHUR J. ADAMS.

Witnesses J. G. ANDERSON, R. A. SGHAEFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

